Estoy Nueces

Our music meeting yesterday was really interesting. They tested over 700 songs with 100 of our loyal listeners (that didn't know this test was for us) and they scored how people felt about each song. The most popular? Amarillo By Morning by George Strait was LOVED by 80% of the people there and hated by none. Amazing for a song over 20 years old. George Strait had LOTS of the favorites (which was no surprise to us). Now I have to go to work to incorporate this data into the music we play. I have through the weekend to do this big project. But this is the kind of project I really like to do.

My friend the sometimes-creepy-photographer bugged me tonight. I love him and I enjoy his company, but he is just too much of an extrovert for me to enjoy. If you will recall last year he and I had dinner together on his birthday because his wife was out of town on business. Later, he found out that his wife had slept (ha, slept!) with a co-worker that night while she was there. They are still married, but things are rocky. Tomorrow is his birthday. He's been dreading it for some time. He was going to go out of town himself, but decided against that this week. I suggested we get together tonight for a quick drink.

So we did. I knew he had dinner plans with his dad at 8:30 so it would time out just right. Then we meet up and get a beer (my first in two months!). Then his dad and his dad's new girlfriend decide to come where we are. SCP says his dad wants to impress the new girlfriend by knowing me (big whoop, I'm sure she was thrilled). He wants me to go to dinner, too. I say, no, but I'll stay until they get there. Now he's decided they will just eat there so he goes to tell the hostess they will need a table for five. Five? I am confused, it will just be four. No, his wife is coming to join them, too. Augh. I like the wife, but I know things are very awkward and uncomfortable...especially on this birthday anniversary. So dad and girlfriend come and we get a table and then wife comes and then I finally make my exit when their food starts arriving. By this time SCP had had 5 or 6 beers and dad and girlfriend had had 2 or 3 wines already and wife was getting started trying to catch up. Too much forced jolliness and I didn't have the voice or inclination to join in.

As for Dell Hell.... the computer was supposed to be picked up yesterday by DHL and they didn't. Today they finally did. So it goes back home to be rebuilt and I probably won't have it for another week. At least it isn't in my hands anymore. That seems like a step in the right direction.

Yesterday I got email from an old friend. I'm sure I've written about him here in the past. He and I worked together and he was close by when I got fired. I think he was probably the first one that knew I got fired and was so sweet and compassionate while I was falling apart. He is a sweet (very) young guy. I hadn't seen or heard from him in at least 18 months and I got email yesterday. He's in Nashville and doing well. He adores Garth Brooks and wants to be a country singer of the Nashville variety, not the Texas kind. I don't know if he has that much talent, but I know he does have a lot of drive and ambition. I hope he can make it. I'm just glad to be back in touch. He's just one of those people you want around for a long long time.